Machine



J. J. GRANT.

BALL GRINDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 31. 1919.

1,3510%. Patented 001;. 26,1920.

javezzi'azv J. J. GRANT.

BALLGRINDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 31. 19:9.

J. J. GRANT.

BALL GRINDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 31. 1919.

1,357,044. Patented Oct. 26,1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

UNITED STATES TENT OFFICE.

JOHN J. GRANT, OF NEW YORK, N.

BALL-GRINDING MACI-IVINE.

Specification of Letters Patent; Patented Oct. 26, 1920,

Application filed. October 21, 1919. Serial No. 334,686.

2 '0 (ZZZ whom it may concern:

Beit known that LJOHN J. GRANT, a citizen of the United States, resident of New York, county of NewYork, and State of New ork, have invented new and useful Improvements in Ball-Grinding Machines, of which the following is a specificatiom the principle of the invention being herein explained and the best mode in which Ihave contemplated applying that principle, so as to distinguishit from other inventions."

Myinvention relates to ball grinding machines, commonly referred to as dry grinders, its object being to provide a machine ofthis character which will be simple and economical in its construction and operation. The said invention consists of. meanshereinafter fully set forth and particularly pointedout in the claims. 7

The annexed drawings and the following description set forthin detail certain mechanism embodying my invention, the disclosed means, however, constituting but one of variousmechanical' forms in which the principle of the invention may be; applied.

y In said annexed drawings:

I Figure '1 is a side elevation'of the ma- I chine embodying my invention.

.' inFig. 1. j

. Fig. 3 is a vertical axial section taken Fig. 2 is an elevation of the'machine taken in the direction indicated by the arrow 1 7 upon the plane indicated by line III-III of Fig. 2, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows 2 in said figure. v i

. Fig. 4. is a fragmentary axial: section of the upper part of the machine takeniipoii the plane indicated by line IV-IV of Fig. 1. r r

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section taken upon the plane indicated by lineVe-Vin Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan of the upper tal 1%..

located pillar A, whose outer surface is cylindrical and forms a journal for a hollow sleeve B rotatable thereon. Below the lower end of the sleeve is mounted an auxiliary sleeve B. A ball bearing 6 is interposed between the lower extremity of the sleeve B and the upper end of sleeve B forming a thrust bearing for these two parts, as will be readily understood. A circumferential annular groove bis formed near the upperpor tion of the auxiliary sleeve B into which project two pins 0 c fixed in the ends of the two arms of abifurcated yokeC. This yoke is fixedly secured to an oscillatory shaft C which is mounted in bearings formed in lugs d (Z which form integral parts of an outer housing D. Secured upon the outer end of the shaft C is a hand lever C by ;means of which the shaft may be-oscillated.

Fixed upon said shaft'intermediately of the hand lever and the adjacent lug (Z is an arm 0 formed with a segment 0, to the upper portion of which is secured a flexible metal strap 0?, as shown in Figs. 3 and'5. The lower end of the strap is provided with a hook 0? which engages the upper end of the helical spring 0?, the lower end of'which latter is secured to a vertically mounted rod 0 the lower end of which is threaded into a post a forming an integral part of the pedes The connection between the rod 0? and spring 0 is such that the rod may be rotated in the lower end of the spring so that the tension of the latter may be adjusted byJscrewing the rod into or out of the post a, as will be readily understood. The arm C is provided with an auxiliary, arm 0 formed with shoulders c and 0 which may be engaged by a lug 6 formed on a secondhand or looking lever 1L, shown in Fig. 3 and in'dotted lines in Fig. 5. This locking lever issuitably fulcrumed upon the housing D, and retains "the hand lever C I and'hence the yoke Cand sleeve B in position against the action, of the spring 0 as will be hereinafter described. The tension of this spring is made such as to overcome the'weights of the-sleeves B and B and 'their'attached parts, so that their tendency is to move upwardly, as a result of such tension. The upper portion of the sleeve B is formed witha flange 5 on the outer edge of which is secured an annular ring 6 forming the bottom of a ball race, as will further appear. Upon the lower end of the sleeve B is shrunk a gear 6 which meshes with an elongated pinion F. This pinion 1s fixed to a vertical shaft F, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5, mounted in suitable bearings formed in the housing D. Upon the lower end of this shaft is a gear f which meshes with a pinion g, which latter is fixed to a rotatable hollow sleeve 9 mounted in a suit able bearing a in the pillar A. The lower end of this sleeve is provided with a bevel gear 9 which meshes with a second bevel gear 9 fixed to a horizontal driving shaft G, the latter mounted in a suitable bearing a formed in the base A as shown. A suitable drivin pulley G is mounted upon the shaft It will therefore be seen that the rotation of shaft G will eifect the rotation of shaft F, the rotation of which latter drives the sleeve 13 through the medium of the pinion F and gear Z)". The elongation of pinion F permits a limited vertical movement of the sleeve while it is being driven, as will be readily understood.

Passing through the sleeve 9 and keyed thereto is a" vertical driving spindle H, whose axis is eccentric relatively to the axis of the pillar A. A suitable bearing a is formed in the upper part of the pillar for the upper part of this spindle, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4:. To the upper part of this spindle is secured a disk H to whose lower surface is secured the annular grinding wheel H the latter having its axis concentric with that of the spindle H and therefore eccentric relatively to the sleeve l3,

flange 6 and annular ring 23 The lower end of the splndle H rests upon a thrust bearing 7L mounted upon the upper end of a rack 71. as shown in detail in Fig. 8. This rack is slidably mounted in a suitable guide a formed in the base A, and engages a toothed segment k which is fixed to the oscillatory shaft h mounted in suitable bearings in the pedestal. The outer end of this shaft has fixed upon it a worm wheel k Fig. 1. This worm wheel is en gaged and operated by a worm h mounted upon a shaft 72. whose upper end is connected with a hand wheelH through the medium of bevel gears 72, and h, as shown in detail in Fig. l. This hand wheel is fir-ted to a suitable'spindle 72, mounted in the housing D as shown.

Rotation of he hand wheel H will therefore rotate the shaft 7L and hence the gear it. The oscillation of the segment 7&3 effects raising and lowering of the spindle H and therefore the grinding wheel H as will be readily understood.

To the upper end of the pillar A is secured a disk A the outer edge of which is beveled as shown to overhang slightly. Upon the upper edge of'this disk is fixedly secured a hardened steel ring a Fig. 6,

which forms the inner side of a ball race. Formlng part of the housing D and surrounding the disk A to form an annular 'open space, is an annular ring D, inner edge is beveled to overhang, as shown.

whose Upon the upper surface and at the inner edge of this disk issecured a hardened steel ring j which'forms the outer edge of the ball race.

Secured upon the under surface of the disk A is a flange A projecting outwardly toward the annularring 6 of less diameter than the exterior diameter of the latter, and

inclined downwardly to form a guard, the purpose of which will be hereinafter fully described. I V I That part of the housing D immediately below the annular disk D ismade substantially vertical to form a web D This web is formed with a plurality of circumferentially placed openings d d, Figs. 2 and 3,

of sullicient area to permit balls of any size which are ground on the machine, to pass therethrough. Adjacent to the lower portiion of these openings and extending partly upon the inside of the housing D and partly upon the outside is a trough d which passes circumferentially around the housing and lnchnes downwardly from one side to the other, the lowermost portion terminating in an opening (Z through which the balls may by the slide (Z may be fixed in position when the machine is in operation. For convenlence, I haveformed the upper surface of the ring D separately in the form of a removable ring, as shown. By this means, that portion of the rlng carrying the hardened race 3 may be readily removed if desired.

follows I Assuming that the ball race is empty and it is desired to fill same with the rough balls to be ground, the set screw d isloosened and'the slide pulled back as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6. Hand lever G is now manually manipulated. so as to bring the shoulder 0 into engagement with the lug c on the lever E, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3. and in full lines in ig. 1.- This brings the annular ring. Z2 into a position such as to constrict the ball race sufficiently to prevent the ballsfrom dropping into the trough (Z The rough balls are now fed into-the race in the desired quantity,.whercupon the slide d gis replaced and. fixedin position. The hand lever E is now The above described device operates as A set screw (Z is .pro

. is given free play to raise the sleeve B upwardly and thus press the balls up against the rings j audit. The machine is now started running, so as'to revolve the grinding wheel H The lower exposed grinding vsurface of this wheel may now be brought downwardly into contact with the upper exposed Surfaces of the balls by turning the hand wheel H in the proper direction; This hand wheel H is suitablygraduated seats to indicate theposition of the grinding wheel, as will be readily understood.

As the grinding operation" continues and the diameter of the balls decreases, the spring 0 moves the sleeve upwardly to compensate therefor and the hand-wheel H is turned to lower the grinding wheel to compensate for the wear of the latter.

Then the grinding operation is Completed audit is desired to discharge the balls from the race, the lever C is raised until the lug-e of the lever E engages the shoulder a of the arm 6, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3. This movement lowers the ring (9 so as to allow the balls to drop in the trough d through the openings cl, the flange A during this action preventing the balls from dropping upon the inside of said ring 5 The disk H is provided with a plurality of sectoral openings h Figs. 4t and 10. The corresponding edges of these openings are inclined as shown in dotted lines at 72 in Fig. 10, and to these inclined surfaces are secured vanes H The inclination of these vanes is such that when the disk and grinding wheel are rotated in'the direction indicated by the arrow in said Fig. 10, a current of air will be createdfrom the interior of the grinding wheel to the exterior thereof. The dust formed in the grinding operation will therefore be drawn into the interior of the grinding wheel and upwardly through the openings h thereby contributing to the comfort and safety of the grinding operator.

What I claim is:

1. In a ball-grinding machine, the combination of a suitable support; a grinding wheel rotatably mounted thereon and having ball race beneath said grinding wheel having a vertical axis eccentrically located rel tively to said wheels'axis; said race comprising a fixed inner disk and a fixed outer ring forming an annular space and the sides of the race, together with a vertically movable and spring-actuated rotatable ring forming the bottom of such race.

3. In a ball-grinding machine, the combination of a suitable support including a vertical hollow pillar forming a cylindrical journal; a spindle mounted in said pillar and passing through the hollow portion thereof, the axis of such spindle being eccen tric relatively to the axis of said journal and parallel therewith; a grinding wheel secured to the upper end of said spindle and having a lower face exposed to form a grinding surface; an inner disk secured to said pillar, and an outer ring mounted upon said support; said inner disk and outer ring forming the sides of a ball race and an intermediate annular space; a sleeve rotatably mounted on said journal and having an annular ring mounted thereon forming the bottom of said race.

4:. In a ball-grinding machine, the combination of an inner disk and an outer ring together forming an annular space and the slides of a ball-race; an annular ring forming the bottom ofsuch race; and a flange on the said inner disk and projecting toward said annular ring.

5. In a ball-grinding machine, the combination of an inner disk and an outer ring forming an annular space and the sides of a horizontal ball race; a rotatable annular ring having a vertical axis and movable'in the direction of said axis, forming the bottom of said race; and a downwardly inclined flange mounted upon the lower surface of said inner disk and projecting outwardly toward said annular ring.

6. In a ball-grinding machine, the combination ofa suitable support formed with an inner stationary disk and an outer stations ary ring forming an annular space and the sides ofa horizontal ball race and furthermore formed with an annular tray below the inner side of such ball race; an intermediate member provided with an annular ring forming the bottom of said ball race, said intermediate member being rotatably mounted upon a vertical axis and movable in the direction thereof; said outer portion of the support being provided with an annular tray below and adjacent to said ball race and with a series of apertures establishing communication between said race and said tray; and an outwardly and down wardly projecting inclined ring secured to the lower surface 0i said inner disk.

8. In a ball-grinding machine the combination of a rotatably mounted grinding Wheel; a ball race adjacent thereto and .including; a member adapted to move toward or from said wheel; yielding means tending to actuate said movable member toward said wheel; and means for fixing said yielding means in various positions.

9. In a ball-grinding machine, the combination of a rotatably mounted grinding wheel; a ball race adjacent to said wheel and including a member movable toward and from said wheel; spring-actuated mechanism connected with said movable member and adapted to actuate same toward said wheel, and including a manually operable lever; and a manually operable locking lever adapted to engage said spring-actuated mechanism to hold same in various positions, whereby said movable member may be held in various positions.

Signed by me this 4th JOHN J. GRANT.

day of October, 

